{"data":{"type":"company_profile","id":9601,"entity_id":"wefunder:company:9601","attributes":{"canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany","generated_at":"2026-06-17T05:46:07Z","updated_at":"2026-06-17T05:01:33Z","entity_ids":{"company":"wefunder:company:9601","slug":"wefunder:company_slug:chicagosteakcompany"},"profile_visibility":{"owner_published":true,"public_search_results":true,"site_search_listed":true,"privacy_mode":"promote","invite_only":false},"provenance":{"source":"wefunder_public_company_profile","as_of":"2026-06-17T05:46:07Z","claims":{"total_amount_raised":{"source":"FrontCompanySummary#amount_raised","last_verified_at":"2026-06-17T05:01:33Z","as_of":"2026-06-17T05:46:07Z","confidence":"high"},"total_investors":{"source":"FrontCompanySummary#number_of_investors","last_verified_at":"2026-06-17T05:01:33Z","as_of":"2026-06-17T05:46:07Z","confidence":"high"},"active_raise_states":{"source":"Fundraise.visible(nil, nil)","last_verified_at":"2025-02-06T01:17:55Z","as_of":"2026-06-17T05:46:07Z","confidence":"high"},"latest_fundraise_state":{"source":"Fundraise.visible(nil, nil).order(funding_started_at)","last_verified_at":"2025-02-06T01:17:55Z","as_of":"2026-06-17T05:46:07Z","confidence":"medium"}}},"company":{"id":9601,"entity_id":"wefunder:company:9601","slug":"chicagosteakcompany","name":"Chicago Steak Company","tagline":"Online cut-to-order retailer for the world's top 2% of beef","elevator_pitch":"We sell and deliver the most premium cuts of beef worldwide. Our steaks are sourced exclusively from Mid-West raised heritage cattle, giving our steaks the prized marbling, and flavor that only come from superior growing conditions and bloodlines. These steaks are certified USDA Prime, meaning we only sell the top 2% of all beef. This dedication to quality has won us the People's Choice Award at the Great Steak Debate, and secured partnerships with Neiman Marcus and 5 star restaurants.","location":"Gaithersburg, MD","website":"https://www.mychicagosteak.com","total_amount_raised":82580,"total_investors":111,"is_funded":true,"is_active":true,"related_urls":["https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany","https://www.mychicagosteak.com"]},"media":{"share_image_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company/header_media_photo/9601/xxl_cropped_Screen_Shot_2018-07-11_at_5.55.10_PM.jpg","logo_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company/logo/9601/large_cropped_Logo-CJ.jpg","header_media_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company/header_media_photo/9601/standard_cropped_Screen_Shot_2018-07-11_at_5.55.10_PM.jpg","cover_photo_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company/header_media_photo/9601/standard_cropped_Screen_Shot_2018-07-11_at_5.55.10_PM.jpg"},"links":{"company_url":"https://www.mychicagosteak.com","twitter_url":"http://twitter.com/MyChicagoSteak","facebook_url":"https://www.facebook.com/ChicagoSteakCompany/?fref=ts\u0026ref=br_tf","instagram_url":"https://www.instagram.com/chicagosteakcompany/","youtube_url":"https://www.youtube.com/user/MyChicagoSteak"},"highlights":[],"quick_facts":[{"index":1,"claim_id":"claim-fact-1","value":"Winner of People's Choice Award at The Great Steak Debate 2015"},{"index":2,"claim_id":"claim-fact-2","value":"$2.7 million in sales in 2016"},{"index":3,"claim_id":"claim-fact-3","value":"USDA Prime certified; only sell top 2% of all beef"},{"index":4,"claim_id":"claim-fact-4","value":"Launching spin-off brand Maine Lobster House"}],"team":[{"id":69159,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:69159","user_entity_id":"wefunder:user:74792","role":"founder","name":"Matt Crowley","title":"Vice President","bio":"Matt brings to this role 11 years of restaurant management, marketing, and technology expertise to oversee customer service initiatives, marketing and advertising, budgeting, and product curation.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/69159/square_cropped_matt.jpg?1503968191","profile_url":"https://wefunder.com/mattcrowley","personal_url":"http://www.mychicagosteak.com","related_urls":["https://wefunder.com/mattcrowley","http://www.mychicagosteak.com"]},{"id":69068,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:69068","role":"employee","name":"Philippe Bind","title":"Corporate Chef","bio":"A professionally trained chef, Philippe has been instrumental in the evolution of Steak University, a robust online guide that features cooking recipes, videos, educational articles, and reviews.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/69068/square_cropped_philip.jpg?1479384853","related_urls":[]},{"id":69061,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:69061","role":"employee","name":"David Artino","title":"Business Development","bio":"Specializing in large account relationship building, David has brought on major partners like Costco, Neiman Marcus and more.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/69061/square_cropped_David_-_Picture.jpg?1489533680","related_urls":[]},{"id":69062,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:69062","role":"employee","name":"Karen Robinson","title":"Director of Preferred Clients","bio":"Karen’s heart for this company shows in everything she does and she handles some of our largest clients and is key in fostering and deepening those relations.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/69062/square_cropped_Karen.jpg?1489533782","related_urls":[]},{"id":69064,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:69064","role":"employee","name":"Cyndi Aleman","title":"Preferred Client Team","bio":"Cyndi’s personality and cheer is contagious and she brings a great ‘caring touch’ to everyone she interacts with.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/69064/square_cropped_Cyndi.jpg?1489533844","related_urls":[]},{"id":69063,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:69063","role":"employee","name":"Daniela Chambers","title":"Preferred Client Team and Social Media Manager","bio":"Daniela’s dedication to this brand is unwavering and she has been instrumental in growing our social media presence.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/69063/square_cropped_Daniela.jpg?1489598998","related_urls":[]},{"id":69065,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:69065","role":"employee","name":"Nicole Orellana","title":"Preferred Client Team and Accounts Receivable","bio":"An ambassador for the brand, Nicole works with some of our major corporate clients on the sales front while keeping things in order on the AR side.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/69065/square_cropped_Nicole.jpg?1489601552","related_urls":[]},{"id":69067,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:69067","role":"employee","name":"Mattie Nash","title":"Graphic Designer","bio":"Mattie has been instrumental in the rebranding process of the Chicago Steak Company website. She also manages all Email Marketing and promotional collateral for CSC.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/69067/square_cropped_photo-mattie.jpg?1489533906","related_urls":[]},{"id":69074,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:69074","role":"employee","name":"Andrew Morgan","title":"Amazon Sales Manager","bio":"With nearly a decade of experience building Amazon accounts for multiple start-up brands, Andrew has been key in establishing our product line on Amazon.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/69074/square_cropped_andrew-morgans.jpg?1489533917","related_urls":[]},{"id":69071,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:69071","role":"employee","name":"Neil Flinchbaugh","title":"Content Writer","bio":"As one of the preeminent marketing copywriters in the country, Neil has worked with many of the largest and most successful companies in the world.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/69071/square_cropped_Neil_Flinchbaugh-Headshot_Photo--Neil_Headshot.jpg?1479384854","related_urls":[]},{"id":69072,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:69072","role":"employee","name":"Josh Barbour","title":"Videographer and Photographer","bio":"Josh’s passion and creativity shine through in all the video \u0026amp; photography work he does for the brand.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/69072/square_cropped_josh.jpg?1489533664","related_urls":[]},{"id":69073,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:69073","role":"employee","name":"Mark Kranenburg","title":"Steak University Host","bio":"Mark’s personality is second to none as he engages audiences in our Steak University TV segments.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/69073/square_cropped_mark.jpg?1489533931","related_urls":[]},{"id":69070,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:69070","role":"employee","name":"Steven Brown","title":"Analytics and Digital Marketing Manager","bio":"With a passion for analytics and his analysis, Stephen’s management of our marketing efforts has yielded higher sales and decreased costs within the first year.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/69070/square_cropped_unnamed.jpg?1489533946","related_urls":[]},{"id":69060,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:69060","user_entity_id":"wefunder:user:74807","role":"founder","name":"Tom Tsitouris","title":"President","bio":"Tom has overseen more than $72,000,000 in food product purchases and $500,000,000 in B2C sales, and has 22 years of experience in ecommerce, online marketing, and managing multimillion dollar brands.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/69060/square_cropped_P3.jpg?1475773239","profile_url":"https://wefunder.com/tomtsitouris","personal_url":"http://www.mychicagosteak.com","linkedin_url":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommytsitouris","related_urls":["https://wefunder.com/tomtsitouris","http://www.mychicagosteak.com"]}],"featured_investors":[],"investor_memos":[],"tab_counts":{"posts":0,"ask_questions":37,"featured_investors":0,"faq_entries":5},"active_fundraises":[{"id":5593,"entity_id":"wefunder:fundraise:5593","state":"successful","offering_type":"4(a)(6)","funding_type":"note","structure":"safe","security_type":"equity","currency":"USD","testing_the_waters":false,"min_purchase":100,"max_purchase":9,"funding_target":50000.0,"funding_started_at":"2017-03-08T01:44:19Z","funding_closed_at":"2018-02-02T04:01:08Z","auto_close_at":"2018-02-01T04:59:59Z"}],"latest_fundraise":{"id":5593,"entity_id":"wefunder:fundraise:5593","state":"successful","offering_type":"4(a)(6)","structure":"safe","testing_the_waters":false,"can_invest_now":false,"funding_started_at":"2017-03-08T01:44:19Z","funding_closed_at":"2018-02-02T04:01:08Z","terms":{"eb":null,"nb":"$10M","txt":"valuation cap"}},"recent_posts":[],"q_and_a":[{"id":216013,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:216013","question":"Hey guys, it's been a bit since we had a business update. How about posting one for the investors?","author_name":"Andy Dupre","votes":1,"created_at":"2022-08-20T20:43:47Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany#question-216013","answers":[]},{"id":177730,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:177730","question":"Hi! Any new updates to share?","author_name":"Nicholas Hillard","votes":1,"created_at":"2021-11-05T16:11:44Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany#question-177730","answers":[]},{"id":163208,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:163208","question":"Hello. Any updates? The last one is pre-pandemic. Thanks.","author_name":"Pedro Miguel Pérez Iruela","votes":1,"created_at":"2021-08-12T17:23:20Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany#question-163208","answers":[]},{"id":17089,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:17089","question":"When do you expect this campaign to close?","author_name":"Craig J. Vom Lehn","votes":1,"created_at":"2018-01-11T14:59:44Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany#question-17089","answers":[]},{"id":17046,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:17046","question":"Do you intend to pay dividends?","author_name":"Craig J. Vom Lehn","votes":1,"created_at":"2018-01-10T15:32:38Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany#question-17046","answers":[]},{"id":8526,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:8526","question":"Is there a plan for payouts similar to Hopsters? Many leading companies doing the same sort of business have been around for a while and they remain private. Why would you ever go public or sell? I believe payouts will be much more appealing for investors.","author_name":"Nadim Jabbour","votes":1,"created_at":"2017-03-14T17:16:44Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany#question-8526","answers":[{"id":8559,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:8559","answer":"Hi Nadim thanks for your interest in our brand. There are many ways to structure investment agreements and there are pros/cons to each. Our plan is to increase the brands value by growing current market share, building out Maine Lobster House, and bringing on additional wholesalers. We believe future steps will include either: a need for additional funding for further expansion or an acquisition. In both of these scenarios opportunity for investor payouts would occur.","author_name":"Matt Crowley","votes":0,"created_at":"2017-03-15T22:53:45Z"}]},{"id":291053,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:291053","question":"Hello, My name is Robert Bryant and I purchased 1,000.00 in Apr 06, 2018 and would like to know how many shares do I currently have with Chicago Steak Company? Thank you for your attention to this question and where can I see the other investors from Wefunder? I also have a copy of the Chicago Steak Company Inc. SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) if you need it for verification.","author_name":"Bobby Bryant","votes":0,"created_at":"2024-08-26T19:44:42Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany#question-291053","answers":[]},{"id":128097,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:128097","question":"As an investor, small as it may be, hope to see a 2020 investor update by Q2 this year?","author_name":"Dean Smith","votes":0,"created_at":"2021-02-02T14:37:28Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany#question-128097","answers":[]},{"id":107801,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:107801","question":"I wanted to get an update and find out when you plan an IPO or when will investors start to see a return on their investment in the company? I also have not received any emails for perks or even swag such as a T shirt...you need to also send things like that out. Don't abandon your investors","author_name":"Steve Gara","votes":0,"created_at":"2020-09-25T12:50:59Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany#question-107801","answers":[]},{"id":81214,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:81214","question":"Hello, I am an investor in Chicago Steak some time ago and I'm wondering when investors like me will finally see a big payoff ....is there a date for an exit strategy, IPO or something else that will tangibly benefit investors? Regards, Steven","author_name":"Steve Gara","votes":0,"created_at":"2020-03-04T01:00:27Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany#question-81214","answers":[]},{"id":64661,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:64661","question":"Any updates? I have not heard much and do not use facebook.","author_name":"Bill Mialki","votes":0,"created_at":"2019-09-29T18:19:18Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany#question-64661","answers":[{"id":65215,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:65215","answer":"Hi\u0026nbsp;Bill - thanks for the inquiry. I just posted an update to all investors thru the wefunder portal.\u0026nbsp;","author_name":"Matt Crowley","votes":0,"created_at":"2019-10-04T15:29:58Z"}]},{"id":58439,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:58439","question":"Would there be a way investors can get a discount or some incentive on purchasing products from your site so we can also try it out? Do you also have any swag, shirts, etc? I try to collect that and wear the shirts of companies I invest in...good advertising on both sides...","author_name":"Steve Gara","votes":0,"created_at":"2019-07-31T17:24:01Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany#question-58439","answers":[{"id":58578,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:58578","answer":"Hi Steve, thank you for believing in us and investing and for reaching out to us. We do have perks for our investors. Please check your email as we will follow up there with more information. Thank you again for reaching out.","author_name":"Matt Crowley","votes":0,"created_at":"2019-08-01T17:14:05Z"}]},{"id":56332,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:56332","question":"Hello, It's been some time since I made an investment and haven't seen or been aware of any updates? How close are investors to getting an ROI from the company?","author_name":"Steve Gara","votes":0,"created_at":"2019-07-02T13:03:15Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany#question-56332","answers":[{"id":56607,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:56607","answer":"Hi Steve, thanks again for your support! My apologies that you have not received any updates. There was an Annual Report posted on WeFunder in April. Overall we are growing market share and working to increase profitability. A few highlights of our efforts include: We recently launched Maine Lobster House and are working to scale that brand up. We are working on ways to market more effectively while lowering marketing cost and improving conversions. For example, in just a few weeks you will be able to checkout on our website thru Amazon Pay which should lift conversion rates on existing traffic. We are working on new product offerings like Domestic Grass Fed beef to grow in this emerging market. We are working on releasing side dishes which will help to improve margins and allowing for healthier net income.","author_name":"Matt Crowley","votes":0,"created_at":"2019-07-05T15:27:30Z"}]},{"id":23940,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:23940","question":"Received my perks, the shirt, apron, nice promos, really like the knife set and box! Placing my first online order to have product shipped to me in Nevada this week. Thank you again, glad to be a part of Chicago Steak Company!","author_name":"Dean Smith","votes":0,"created_at":"2018-07-11T20:29:51Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany#question-23940","answers":[]},{"id":18674,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:18674","question":"I'd like to know for those of us that invested some time ago, what are the plans for the company to distribute shares to its investors and when and if there is a time horizon as to whether the company is going public? I want to start getting returns on investments I've made.","author_name":"Steve Gara","votes":0,"created_at":"2018-03-07T02:28:18Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany#question-18674","answers":[]},{"id":18445,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:18445","question":"Hello, I wanted to find out what your plan is to eventually distribute shares of equity to your investors?","author_name":"Steve Gara","votes":0,"created_at":"2018-02-24T21:41:47Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany#question-18445","answers":[]},{"id":18444,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:18444","question":"Steve","author_name":"Steve Gara","votes":0,"created_at":"2018-02-24T21:41:05Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany#question-18444","answers":[]},{"id":16162,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:16162","question":"Just want tó check if it is accepted for non-US investor as this is not mentioned in the contract. Thanks.","author_name":"Louis Nguyen","votes":0,"created_at":"2017-12-04T15:25:39Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany#question-16162","answers":[]},{"id":15546,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:15546","question":"I am impressed with quality level of your products and while I have not had an opportunity to ty one myself every review I have read has been exceptional. It is estimated that 50% of your business is done in the 6 weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas. What is your company doing to increase sales in other quarters and creating a steady revenue throughout the year? Are there any partnerships with nationwide restaurants to help generate consistent quarter to quarter revenue?","author_name":"Ryan Jacobs","votes":0,"created_at":"2017-11-11T22:24:12Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany#question-15546","answers":[]},{"id":15515,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:15515","question":"Can I order online?","author_name":"Harvey Bloom Md","votes":0,"created_at":"2017-11-10T21:42:12Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany#question-15515","answers":[]},{"id":11680,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:11680","question":"Hi Guys can we get an update on how 2017 sales are looking so far and what your projections are?","author_name":"Michael Gately","votes":0,"created_at":"2017-08-05T13:44:14Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany#question-11680","answers":[{"id":11732,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:11732","answer":"Hi Michael, thanks for the question. 2017 has been a strong year so far with sales up 45.5% compared to January - July last year! We are continuing to focus on sales and traffic growth and with 7 months of sustained growth we anticipate the second half of 2017 to yield similar results. One of the largest areas of growth we are experiencing (and very excited about) is our organic traffic (the traffic that Google \u0026amp; MSN send to our site that is not paid for). We are averaging over 11,000 visits a week which compared to just a few hundred visits in the comp period last year. In fact, because of this tremendous growth (over 750%) we have been nominated for an Search Engine Optimization Award (Landy’s Award http://searchengineland.com/awards), but I’ll let Tom speak to that in his update later this week. For more updates and information checkout the following WeFunder Link: https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany/updates","author_name":"Matt Crowley","votes":0,"created_at":"2017-08-07T22:12:59Z"}]},{"id":11232,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:11232","question":"What are the benefits of investing just $100?","author_name":"Steven Devenport","votes":0,"created_at":"2017-07-23T17:34:32Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany#question-11232","answers":[]},{"id":10862,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:10862","question":"I am interested in a much larger investment - $50k or more - what benefits are offered at that level?","author_name":"Rick Freeman","votes":0,"created_at":"2017-07-12T19:01:31Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany#question-10862","answers":[{"id":10966,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:10966","answer":"Hi Rick, thanks for your interest and inquiry. Apologies on the delayed response as I was traveling last week. I’d love to have an opportunity to discuss this with you. I’m sure we can work something out. Please let me know the best way to reach you. If you’d prefer, you can email me directly at matt.crowley@mychicagosteak.com","author_name":"Matt Crowley","votes":0,"created_at":"2017-07-17T15:48:31Z"}]},{"id":9680,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:9680","question":"You mentioned corporate gifts as part of your business growth; as a trader on wall street I can tell you from first hand that my colleagues and myself have been receiving Omaha steaks for the past couple years now as Christmas presents from many of our brokers and dealers (big banks). Could you elaborate how you plan on increasing that part of your business? I think it's the key to your growth as most retail consumers can't justify the prices you charge.","author_name":"Michael Gately","votes":0,"created_at":"2017-05-10T02:38:55Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany#question-9680","answers":[{"id":9735,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:9735","answer":"Thanks Michael, that’s an excellent question. Corporate gifting represents a sizable market and the opportunity for growth in that space is significant for our brand. We believe that a key to a successful growth plan in this space is to answer your very question “Why is a Chicago Steak Company steak more expensive than a Walmart or Omaha Steak?”. It is this “Quality Question” that any luxury brand must answer and we believe it is best answered through industry education. However, we also know that even the term “industry education” is less than exciting. So we created Steak University, to make learning about all things beef, a fun experience. Incorporating this type of messaging (along with awards like The Great Steak Debate where we beat out Omaha Steaks and several others in the industry) that will help justify the ticket price associated with our product. As we’ve shared in recent brand updates here on WeFunder, Steak University is continuing to gain organic presence in Google searches (up over 500% in organic YOY visits) as more and more visitors spend time reading our articles. Getting back to some of the specifics on your question, we have account managers who source leads of decision makers and send out materials and samples. Similar to how we have worked to bring on channel partners (Costco, Niemen Marcus etc.) we would then do one on one follow us with each lead. Additional plans down the line may include participating in Corporate Gifting Trade shows. On that note, if you have anyone you’d like us to reach out to, please feel free to put me in touch :)","author_name":"Matt Crowley","votes":0,"created_at":"2017-05-11T20:02:03Z"}]},{"id":9045,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:9045","question":"Kosher steaks ?","author_name":"Fares ALSAKKAF","votes":0,"created_at":"2017-04-12T20:08:43Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/chicagosteakcompany#question-9045","answers":[{"id":9409,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:9409","answer":"Our steaks are USDA Prime Midwest Corn Fed beef which is the top 2% of the beef consumed in he US. Our steaks are not Kosher certified however we are looking at adding a Kosher program to our catalog. Thank you for your question and interest in Chicago Steak Company.","author_name":"Tom Tsitouris","votes":0,"created_at":"2017-04-27T05:41:07Z"}]}],"faq":[{"question":"I see your note about paid search above. What is your approach to direct response advertising in social media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.)?","answer":"Hi Alec thank you for your support of our brand and for your inquiry. We strongly believe in ongoing testing when it comes to marketing. With measurability being key, the digital space is an excellent place to do that. We have done campaigns on various social media platforms in the past and currently have one live on Facebook. In short, we believe if you approach the platform \u0026amp; audience with the right goal \u0026amp; message then direct response advertising on social media can be an effective ..."},{"question":"I see in the timeline that the grand vision is to open up an all American steakhouse featuring your steaks, while I like this idea it makes me a little nervous why don't you build the premium steak brand, instead of opening a steakhouse, and are you only going for one steakhou...","answer":"Hi Jonathan, that’s a great question, thanks for submitting it. Our primary focus is to continue to expand our premium steak brand. We are committed to doing that by expanding marketing efforts in the following areas: campaigns focusing on corporate gifting, targeting Foodie \u0026amp; Wine publications, building relationships with key industry influencers, bringing on more wholesalers like Costco, and expanding PR efforts. With that said, we believe the Chicago Steak Company brand can also expand..."},{"question":"Since you have an established business history, I would've been interested had you offered a convertible note or straight equity with payouts like Hopsters and Bloomery did. I'm not a fan of SAFEs as a path to equity, so I'll pass on your offer. Hawaii Cider changed their offe...","answer":"Scott, thank you for your comments. You are correct that we have an established business but we are now looking to take it to the next level. There are many paths to equity and we took various structures under advisement prior to launching this campaign on WeFunder. We believe that the SAFE Agreement best fits our needs at this time as it will allow us the flexibility to invest these funds into marketing efforts to expand the brand without the pressure to convert before those investments are ..."},{"question":"What are your figures for reorders/retention?","answer":"Hi Robert, thank you for your question. Retention rate is extremely important to us and first and foremost we have the distinct pleasure to deliver to our clients the ultimate steak experience which makes it easy for us to retain customers who love the best. More specifically we have instituted several programs over the years to help keep us in tune with our clients needs and to keep them engaged with our products. Here at Chicago Steak Company we are selling an experience, and that begins fr..."},{"question":"Is there a plan for payouts similar to Hopsters? Many leading companies doing the same sort of business have been around for a while and they remain private. Why would you ever go public or sell? I believe payouts will be much more appealing for investors.","answer":"Hi Nadim thanks for your interest in our brand. There are many ways to structure investment agreements and there are pros/cons to each. Our plan is to increase the brands value by growing current market share, building out Maine Lobster House, and bringing on additional wholesalers. We believe future steps will include either: a need for additional funding for further expansion or an acquisition. In both of these scenarios opportunity for investor payouts would occur."}]}}}